Bruised and Broken
by emication
Summary: Companion fic to Black and Blue.


+ Title: Bruised and Broken  
+ Author: Vinyl Koneko (Emily), roguegirl@att.net  
+ Rating: PG-13   
+ Couplings: 1+2+1 that's a little more friendshippy than relationshippy  
+ Warnings: TWT, verb tensing probably changes sporadically, language, unbeta'd  
+ Archive: Want it? Take it. Just give me credit, please.  
+ Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.   
+ Comments: *Emphasis* and 'thought' and [flashback]. Kinda-sorta-maybe a companion piece to "Black and Blue". Title originated in listening to New Found Glory's "Head On Collision" a few too many times.  
  
*~**~*  
  
I couldn't help but curse outloud as my shoulder impacted with the bottom of the duct. Almost immediately I heard a voice in the earpiece of my headset.  
  
"Duo, are you all right?"  
  
I started to nod until I realized that Heero couldn't see that particular response. "Ah, I'm fine. Shit. The duct just dropped five meters and I didn't see it coming. I might be bruised later, but nothing's seriously damaged." He didn't respond; I didn't expect him to. Communication was supposed to be kept at a minimum to decrease the odds of OZ finding the channel we were using. I was surprised that he even bothered to ask me if I was okay. I adjusted the mouthpiece to where I liked it before continuing through the duct.  
  
The mission had seemed easy enough, but when we got the details from Doctor J telling Heero and me to both take part I couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. I couldn't understand why the two of us would be necessary. The good old docs never sent out dual missions. This, obviously, was the exception.  
  
The base we were raiding had the strictest security. Any possible entrance had metal detectors with more randomly placed in the ducts and pipework, as well as the corridors. This meant that we can't have any guns on us whatsoever. Even the headsets are made out of plastic and some compound I can't identify.  
  
The only actual weapons on me were a twin set of dart shooters on my wrists - one lethal while the other just a tranquilizer - and my pride and joy knife tucked in a sheath on my calf. I had to make them myself special for cases like this. The darts don't really shoot darts but plastic pelts of fluid that explode on contact, seeping the liquid into the pores and acting immediately. There's rounds of these pellets strapped to my back, enough to kill or at least subdue every person in the complex with about half to spare. The knife has a carved wooden handle, smooth but not so smooth that it slips out of my hand, and it's balanced perfectly for throwing. The blade itself was made out of plate glass, sharpened carefully to get the finest edge possible. I could cut through a molecule with this baby. It cuts through anything like water.  
  
I continued until I heard two clicks in my ear. That was Heero telling me to take the next right. He was sitting outside and down the street from the OZ base in a white van advertising a fake carpet company, parked in front of a house that was vacant since the owners had taken their kids to Disney World for the next couple weeks. In the meantime, we were using it as a cover. By pretending to be installing their new carpeting.  
  
I found my turn, and lowered the scope attached to the headset before proceeding. The scope let me switch through various views. I went through infrared to UV to gamma in the course of thirty seconds, checking for any security precautions that could alert base security that something larger than a mouse was crawling through their ductwork.  
  
The ultimate purpose of this mission was to take down the base, which is definitely a one-man job, but the doctors decided that they needed some information from the base before it went down. So that's where I come in, going through all this trouble just to pop in a zip disc, download a copy of the base's entire server, and get the hell out so Heero can blow it to bits. We don't even get to keep the zip disc. It gets sent to a post office box on L1 to be picked up by Doctor J for him to sort through.  
  
Three clicks in my ear mean I'm going down. I see the grating a couple meters in front of me, and I begin to unwrap the nylon rope from my pack as I shuffle along on my knees. I switch on the scope again to see that a criss-cross of lasers is hovering milimeters above the grating, and I don't want to find out if their purpose is to carve me to pieces or if they're just another sensor. I find their source quickly enough, and there's no way I could access the power without opening up some paneling, so I reach into my pack and pull out several items about the size of a credit card. I remove them from their protective sheath, careful not to make too much noise, and I hold my breath as I lower one in front of the light source.  
  
Forcing my hands to remain steady, I work slowly and methodically, taking each of the tiny mirrors and adjusting them at precisely the right angle to reflect the laser back to its source, leaving the grate free for me to crawl through and frying the lights' batteries at the same time. I exhale, relieved that no alarms seemed to have been triggered. I need to work fast. Somewhere in the base an OZ soldier is being notified that the batteries have died and someone needs to replace them. I don't plan on sticking around that long.  
  
"How am I doing?" I ask, keeping my voice as low as possible.  
  
"The terminal room is empty; nearest personnel is two point three eight minutes away if they run."  
  
I snort but he doesn't hear it. Typical of Heero to not tell me *how* I'm doing but telling me *what* still needs to be done.  
  
I pull on the grate and it comes up automatically, not screwed to the plating. Makes my job easier. I don't have to cut through the metal or dig out a screwdriver. I place the cover to the side on a bandana I brought with me so the sound of metal-on-metal doesn't echo throughout the piping. It pays to be paranoid, it really does. They called me in for this for a reason.  
  
I anchor one end of the nylon rope with a magnetic loop that sticks to the top of the duct directly over my head and test my weight on it. It's supposed to support up to a ton, but sometimes you can't believe what things claim. Satisfied that it would hold at least my weight, I swing out into the hole but not out of arms' reach from the edge in case my anchor decided to give up its hold. I hang on with one arm as I make sure my dart shooters are angled properly through my fingerless gloves before I travel down the nylon in a hand-over-hand motion that'll keep the rope from burning holes in the palm of my gloves.  
  
I can't help but smile to myself. This is fun on its own basic level, just sneaking around behind someone's back at the risk of getting into big trouble. If we weren't at war it would be a game. I'm also smiling at the fact that - even if he won't admit it - Heero is impressed with the job I have done so far.  
  
I land softly on the ground below, immediately finding the main terminal since it looked different from all the others in the room. I pull the zip disc out of my pack, insert it into the CPU, and press "Load". The disc says it'll take a few minutes, so I decided to satisfy my urges by doing a little snooping around.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Being nosy," I pull open a drawer and dig around through various folders, coming up with a key on a piece of string. "What do you think this is for?"  
  
"Nothing important. Put it back or the metal will get detected on your way out." I can't help but pout. I wanted a little souvenir, but Heero did have a point. "The disc is finished. Hurry up and get back here."  
  
"Right..." I responded distractedly, placing the key back where I found it before grabbing the zip disc from its drive. I slipped it carefully in my pocket, making sure it was secure before starting up the rope. "Should I bother putting the grate back?"  
  
"No. The second you're clear I'm detonating the explosives."  
  
I got out faster than I went in, not having to check every duct for security measures since I already knew what was and wasn't there. Heero was still clicking directions in my ear so I wouldn't get lost. My sense of direction is keen, but it's difficult when the ducts all look exactly the same. I pop open the vent to the outside and pause for a moment, savoring the fresh air. With the scope on binocular mode I can make out our white carpet van a few blocks down. I look at the ground and curse immediately.  
  
"Duo, what is it?"  
  
"How the *fuck* did they know to wait for me?"  
  
"How many are there?"  
  
I count quickly. "Ten...twelve. More might be on their way. Armed with nothing larger than a pistol but there's no way I can get to the ground and hit them all with the darts before they get a shot in at me. Shit!"  
  
"Can the darts reach from where you are?"  
  
"If I shoot them correctly gravity will be able to take care of that."  
  
I could practically hear the gears turning in Heero's head. "All right. Stay there, take out as many as you can. I'm going to set the bombs to detonate themselves in five minutes. I'll come and back you up. If you see an opening to get clear, take it."  
  
I nod eagerly, but I haven't the slightest idea why since he can't see me. I raise my right arm, supporting it with my left hand, and twitch my thumb against the trigger, sending a dart down towards the nearest OZ soldier. I can hear the thud of contact and smirk victoriously as the man falls to the ground convulsing before he stills. The sadistic God of Death in me is at play, out to paralyze the soldiers so when the base explodes their last thoughts will be of how they failed to protect it. I take down a couple more when the sound of an automatic rifle draws my attention to the perimeter. He motions for me to get out of the building, flashing four fingers at me.  
  
I take no time in getting down. The second I drop the rope, I'm right behind it. I know there's enough explosives placed to take out the base and half a kilometer extra, so we can't take our time. I squeeze the trigger off at another soldier who thought he was being swift in trying to sneak up behind me when I could hear every move he made. I cleared the perimeter at a casual run, getting off shots whenever I felt like I needed to, even shooting another dart at those who were still moving a little too much for my liking. A clock in my head was mentally ticking down the time. We had a thirty seconds left.  
  
I didn't see the soldier on the ground as he reached up for my leg, successfully tripping me even though there wasn't much else he could do. It took some of my precious time. I could see him mouthing obscenities even though his voice was paralyzed. I had to resist the urge to spit on the OZ scum.  
  
"Duo, ten seconds, hurry up," Heero's voice still rang in my ear. I had just run out of the main gate when the building blew, a wave of heat and burning shrapnel forcing me to the pavement. Moments later I could feel Heero by my side, mouthing instructions, but a ringing in my ear was keeping me from hearing what he was saying. I allowed him to pull my body weight onto his own, carrying me back towards where the van still sat, unaffected by the blast.  
  
I looked out the passenger window of the van as Heero drove back to the motel we were calling our safehouse. The rubble was still burning, tall black pillars of smoke rising with the smell of death. My hearing slowly came back. Everything sounded like I was listening to the world from underwater.  
  
"How do you feel?" My mind couldn't comprehend why Heero would ask such a question.  
  
I pulled down the visor, looking at my reflection in the tiny mirror. My left eye was swollen shut with a bruise, and my forehead bore a large gash that was crusted with dried blood. My chest felt bruised, but thankfully nothing was broken. The blast of heat burned the material on my back and my arms and legs, but the fireproof pack I wore was still fine, if not a little singed. I pulled the zip disc out of my pocket, placing it on the dashboard.  
  
"Felt worse," I responded, my voice sounding dry and faraway. I didn't feel like elaborating, and Heero never asked me to.  
  
*~**~*  
  
Owari 


End file.
